Rock Ethics Institute announces 2023 Expanding Empathy Speaker Series
Penn State’s Rock Ethics Institute will kick off its 2023 Expanding Empathy Speaker Series with the first of four spring discussions on Friday, March 24.
The Expanding Empathy Speaker Series, now in its fifth year, brings together philosophers and psychologists from around the…
David Hunter announced as new director of the Penn State AI Hub
The Office of the Senior Vice President for Research has announced that David Hunter has been appointed director for the cross-functional Penn State AI Hub. Hosted by the Institute for Computational Data Science (ICDS), the hub is designed with the vision of creating a collaborative and creative…
Evidence-to-Impact Podcast on knowledge mobilization
In this EIC Podcast episode, we spoke to researchers with two different approaches to tackling the same problem: knowledge mobilization. Knowledge mobilization focuses on making knowledge, resources or practices that exist in one space and making them accessible to specific audiences. We talked…
Prenatal cigarette, cannabis exposure may have associations with childhood obesity
Childhood obesity rates continue to rise in the United States, putting kids at risk for asthma, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, and other health conditions. Children prenatally exposed to both tobacco and cannabis had a 12 times higher risk for obesity by middle childhood (9–12 years of age) compared…
Bendapudi discusses higher education, evidence, policymaking at White House
Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi was one of a dozen representatives from higher education, federal agencies and private industry invited to speak at the final “Evidence Forum” of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Year of Evidence for Action on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at the White House. …
Translating Research to Innovations in Practice Symposium to be held May 10-11
The sixth annual Translating Research to Innovations in Practice Symposium is being held on May 10-11 at The Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center.
The symposium will be highlighted by the keynote presentations “Delirium in Age – Friendly Care: Implementation of a 2-Step Delirium…
Personal connections matter to families taking care of kin during opioid crisis
For family members unexpectedly taking care of a relative’s child during the opioid crisis, it can be difficult to navigate the legal waters of assuming custody. The process may be easier — and come with more support — if these caregivers have personal connections to local resource institutions,…
Self-monitoring physical activity matters, according to smartwatch study
By the start of 2023, hundreds of millions of fitness trackers like Fitbits or Apple Watches had been sold to people who wanted to become or remain healthy. Many consumers rely on the step counts and activity tracking provided by these devices to help them increase their physical…
Center issues seed grant call for 'Big Ideas' in socially responsible AI
Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) is inviting short proposals for a special off-cycle round of Big Idea Grant (BIG) seed funding earmarked for early concepts and research that has transformational potential.
Applications will be accepted at…
Because Gun Violence Requires Social Science Solutions
This week's Why Social Science? post comes from researchers at the University of Connecticut and Johns Hopkins University to touch on the many ways social science offers insights into preventing and reducing the prevalence of gun-related violence.
By Jennifer Dineen, Ph.D. (University of…
New resource on structural racism and rigorous models of social inequity
To better understand and address structural racism, it is important to consider historical and contemporary policies as well as other structural factors that affect people’s health and well-being across the life course, along with strategies for measuring those factors.
A new interactive…
CSUA Conference registration now open
SSRI’s Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction's annual conference will be held May 1, 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. in the HUB-Robeson Center. The conference is free, but registration is required. We encourage researchers, students, staff, and community members to attend. This event is in-person at…
Social connection key to educational attainment among post-9/11 veterans
Post-9/11 veterans who actively participate in veteran centers and veteran-student organizations as they pursue education after military service are significantly more likely to do better in school than those who remain socially isolated, according to Penn State research.
“The data indicates that…
Trauma causes high levels of intergenerational substance use among Black women
Government data show that approximately 7.2 million women in the United States have substance use disorders (SUDs) and almost 20 million reported illicit substance use in the past year. New research suggests that trauma leads to high levels of intergenerational substance use among Black women, and…
Racial and ethnic disparities in STEM achievement appear earlier than thought
Racial and ethnic disparities in advanced mathematics and science achievement occur as early as kindergarten, much earlier than previously thought, according to a new study led by a Penn State College of Education researcher. The findings suggest that economic and educational policies designed to…
Podcast explores the genetics of personality through the lens of adoption
Social scientists have long sought to better understand how and why different behavioral traits develop in different individuals. The question of “nature vs. nurture,” often cited in society's popular lexicon, reflects a collective interest in sorting out which aspects of people's personalities can…
Research Data Management Policy Town Hall Announcement
As previously announced, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have instituted a new Data Management and Sharing Policy that went into effect on January 25, 2023. In a memorandum to federal departments and agencies, The Office of Science and Technology Policy, “delivered guidance for…
Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative, White House to co-host national forum
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Penn State’s Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative (EIC) will co-host the final Evidence Forum of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Year of Evidence for Action on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at the White House.
The forum will…
New SSRI Faculty Affiliate program launches
We are inviting social and behavioral science faculty at Penn State to join the SSRI community through our new Faculty Affiliate Program. Being a Faculty Affiliate will connect you with SSRI, research opportunities, and other Affiliates. Read more about the full benefits of becoming an SSRI Faculty…
Penn State sixth in COSSA rankings for social and behavioral science R&D
COSSA recently released its annual College and University Rankings for Federal Social and Behavioral Science R&D, which highlight the top university recipients of research dollars in the social and behavioral sciences. In their rankings, Penn State came in sixth place with over $38 million…
Demographers identify the causes, challenges of a rapidly aging Puerto Rico
The Puerto Rican population is aging rapidly, with the percentage of older adults on the island the 10th highest in the world. Penn State researchers are discovering, for the first time, the causes of population aging and how it will negatively impact Puerto Rico.
Amílcar Matos-Moreno, postdoctoral…
Penn State leads multi-state project to help prevent opioid misuse
Opioid use disorder continues to wreak havoc across the United States. Opioids were involved in more than 68,000 overdose deaths in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Penn State recently received a $1.3 million, two-year grant from the Substance Use and Mental…
Student translational science training programs now accepting applications
As part of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences‘ (NCATS) Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program, Penn State is one of more than 60 organizations nationally charged with delivering infrastructure and training to improve the health research process.
Penn State…
Penn State establishes international center for co-parenting research
The arrival of a baby can bring tremendous joy — and stress — to new parents. Research in several countries has shown that new parents who learn teamwork skills are more likely to have supportive relationships that result in better physical and mental health, more sensitive and warm parenting…
SSRI introduces Faculty Fellows for 2023-24
Five Penn State faculty members were recently named Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) Mentored Faculty Fellows for 2023-24. The mentored faculty fellows program supports the career development of early career Penn State faculty in social and behavioral sciences to engage in new areas of…